THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503090190
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Country western singer Troy Hedspeth will appear at Donk's L'il Ole Opry on March 18, and he's arranged for a bus to bring his friends and fans from Virginia Beach to the show.
The upcoming performance at the honky tonk in Mathews will be a special event for the singer who arrived there two years ago, guitar in hand, to sing in public for the first time.
``I asked the managers to tell me what they thought and they asked me to stay for the rest of the night,'' Troy explained, ``and that was that.''
Troy set toes a-tapping and knees a-slapping with his renditions of Garth Brooks tunes. There's a sprinkling of Elvis in his show and when Troy croons ``My Way'' you could hear a pin drop. Exposure on national television and local venues have recently earned him a recording contract. Troy says he's earning ``real money'' and he's got all the star trappings to prove it.
A new bike. Super Nintendo. A basketball hoop in the driveway - all the things a kid would want.
Troy, who is only 12, is a Lynnhaven Middle School student who idolized Garth Brooks enough to try his own hand on stage with guitar, cowboy shirt and boots. That was two years ago and, as Troy said, that was that.
Referred to as ``Little Garth'' by many, the seventh-grader said the high point of his career came when he met Brooks last year.
When interviewed recently, Troy lowered his voice to a whisper, leaned across the table and explained, ``Garth isn't his real name. His real name is Troy, just like me.'' MEMO: For bus reservations and concert tickets, call the Gallop Bus Co. at
420-3135, Ext. 315.
For concert tickets only, call Troy's manager at 340-3390. Her name's
Nancy Hedspeth and she's been known to moonlight as Troy's mom. Bus
reservations are $10, concert tickets are $8 for adults and $2 for
children under 12.
ILLUSTRATION: Troy ``Little Garth'' Hedspeth now has a recording contract.
by CNB